Tēnā koutou katoa,
Here we are in April already! I always find it tricky when the clocks have changed and I need to take time to make that seasonal adjustment. This month, we’re continuing the six-monthly unit inspections and have completed a total of 487 so far. I’d like to thank everyone for working with their Community Managers to make this a very straightforward process.
Our annual tenant satisfaction survey is also underway and you should have by now received your questionnaire from the independent research company, Gravitas, which conducts this survey for us every year. Your responses will be anonymous and I do hope you’ll be able to return your survey by the 10 May closing date, as we genuinely value all your helpful feedback and suggestions.
We’re also holding another tenant advisory group meeting in April. If you’d like to take part in a future meeting, please register your interest by calling the Helpdesk. Our annual internal audit run by Baker Tilley Accountants is in progress, too, so it’s a very busy month indeed!
ANZAC Day is coming up and I hope you’ll have the opportunity to pay tribute in your own way to all those New Zealanders who made the ultimate sacrifice in times of war and also remember the contribution of our returned servicemen and women.
Enjoy the rest of autumn.
Ngā mihi,
Gillian Schweizer,
Chief Executive Officer
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Fun and fitness at Acacia Court
In conjunction with Age Concern, tenants of Papatoetoe’s Acacia Court have recently been running a ‘Steady As You Go’ exercise programme in their village community house. A group of 13-15 villagers attend the 60-minute sessions every Monday and are taken through their paces by their Age Concern instructor, Alana. The classes, which are held over the course of 10 weeks, are designed to help older people reduce their likelihood of having a fall and include a range of activities either seated in a chair, standing or walking, which are proven to improve balance, flexibility and strength. The Acacia Court attendees are all starting to feel the benefits of the classes and hope to continue the exercises on their own initiative once the course officially comes to an end. If you’re interested in joining a ‘Steady As You Go’ class, contact your local Age Concern (ageconcern.org.nz) or speak to your Community Manager.
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Staying well this winter
The Office for Seniors advises that getting an annual flu vaccine is the best possible defence against catching or spreading the flu, and it’s free if you’re over 65. The flu vaccine changes each year to help protect you against the most common expected flu strains. Although having the vaccine doesn’t guarantee you won’t catch the flu, it reduces your risk of serious illness if you do catch it.
You can get your free flu vaccine from your healthcare provider and from many pharmacies. To book, visit BookMyVaccine.nz or call the Vaccination Healthline on 0800 28 29 26, 8.30am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.
Booking your flu vaccine is also a good time to ask about getting the new COVID-19 booster, which is also free for seniors and is more effective against the newer strains of COVID-19. You can get a vaccination if it’s been at least six months since your last COVID-19 booster or COVID infection, or if you’ve never had one before. It’s safe to have both the flu and COVID vaccines at the same time.
Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) will remain free for the public until 30 June. You can continue to pick up free RATs for yourself and household members from participating pharmacies and RAT collection centres until then. To find a collection centre near you, visit healthpoint.co.nz/covid-19.
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Garden joy
Meet florist and landscaper extraordinaire Diane Rusden of Northcote’s Piringa Court, whose life’s work as a landscape gardener has taken her around the world and on many wonderful adventures. A qualified horticulturist, Diane sailed to California in the 1980s and started a landscaping business in Los Angeles. During this time, she was commissioned to do the gardens and wedding floral arrangements for many celebrities including Arnold Schwarzenegger and the A-team’s Mr T! After 10 years in LA, she moved to the Gold Coast in Australia where she owned a shop for 24 years which specialised in potted plants and all things garden-related. Diane’s favourite plants are perennials and colourful flowers, and her greatest joy is the garden that she has cultivated from scratch around her unit at Piringa court.
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Winter Energy Payment returns
The Winter Energy Payment is starting again on Wednesday, 1 May. This is to help with the cost of keeping your home warm and dry, and with other costs over winter. If you get NZ Super or Veteran’s Pension, you’ll be entitled to get the Payment all winter until 1 October. It’s made automatically along with your fortnightly payments, you don’t need to apply. When you receive NZ Super on Tuesday, 7 May, it will include a part Winter Energy Payment. Your first full Winter Energy Payment will then be on Tuesday, 21 May. See www.workandincome.govt.nz for more details.
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Key contacts
The Haumaru Helpdesk hours have changed from 8.00am-5.00pm to 8.30am-5.00pm. Tenants can still ring our after-hours service up until 8.30am daily, and then our Helpdesk team will take over. Please be reassured that there will always be someone available to answer your call.
A reminder that - in any emergency situation - 111 is the first number tenants should call. It’s important that you first alert the Emergency Services of any developing or active situation. Only after calling 111 should you phone the Haumaru 0800 Helpdesk number to provide us with an update on the issue.
